In building construction, pipes or conduits and the like which run for any significant distance often must be suspended in a precise position from joints or other structural elements. This has been accomplished in the past by pipe hangers utilizing a vertical hanger rod terminating in a yoke, from which a strap or chain encircles the pipe and holds it snugly against the underside of the yoke. The hanger rod is then nailed or otherwise affixed to a joist or other structural element. Typical examples of such prior art pipe hangers are shown in Holub U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,751 and Logsdon U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,741.
It is often necessary for a plumber to selectively adjust the height of the suspended pipe relative to other structural elements, such as pipes or cables, or to provide a suitable slope or grade so that proper drainage can occur. A common problem with prior art pipe hangers is that they do not readily allow the height of the suspended pipe to be readily adjusted, either during installation, or afterwards. While with conventional pipe hangers the height of the suspended pipe can be adjusted to a certain extent by removing and then re-nailing the pipe hanger to the joist, this method of adjusting the height of the pipe has limitations. First, adjusting the height of the pipe requires the use of tools, typically a hammer or prybar, to remove the pipe hanger and then re-attach it to the joist. Secondly, the extent to which the height can be adjusted is limited to the vertical dimension of the joist.